03.13.11 — Spoonerisms




————————

Sunday, March 13, 2011

REVEREND SPOONER, U.S.P.S., crossword by Patrick Berry, edited by Will Shortz

Spoonerisms within a single paragraph monologue constitutes the main feature of this Sunday crossword:

  • “I suppose it might seem odd that a reverend like myself would suddenly begin MARRYING THE KALE"
  • “… but I’ve always thought MOST PASTORS had a more fun job than I do”
  • “For an avid philatelist like me, sorting envelopes is thrilling — I might spot a STAIR RAMP!”
  • “When a man is nervous about shipping breakables, I tell him ’CRACK YOUR PATE carefully, sir’ …”
  • “… and I write ‘CANDLE WITH HAIR’ on the box, which seems to reassure him”
  • “The best part of the job, of course, is when I’m out on the street RAKING MY MOUNDS
  • “I’m a bit leery of dogs — it’s unsettling to enter a yard and hear some GROUND HOWLING at me …”
  • “… but dogs can’t spoil how much I enjoy driving around in the TRAIL MUCK
  • “Homeowners get excited when they see me opening their BETTER LOCKS
  • “… and when I hand-deliver a package, the recipients are positively CHILLED WITH FEAR — it’s very satisfying!”

Other — AFRESH, AMIDALA (15D. Queen in the “Star Wars“ saga), ARYANS, ART DECO (84D. Like the GE Building), not to be confused with the General Electric Building, a far more ornate example of Art Deco, AT ODDS, AWAKES, AWARDS, BACARDI, BITUMEN, BOWLER and BOWMAN, CHOPPER, DAY SPA, DENSEST, DIVERGE, FIRE BOX, GRAHAMS, GROMYKO (41D. Soviet foreign affairs minister during the Cuban missile crisis), HOMERS, IRON ORE, METHOD, NAUSEA (3A. Novel for which Sartre declined the Nobel Prize), NOWHERE, PIT-A-PAT, PLAYS OUT, RAIMENT, ROANOKE (86D. Lost Colony‘s island), ROCK PILE (81D. Where prisoners swing picks), SCHOLAR, SPEED UP, STEPPES.

Five-letter — ABACO, ADLER, ADMIT, ALONE, BALES, BOAST, BUTCH (92D. Companion of Rex and Rover), CHARO and CHERI, COKES, CREEL, DENIM (4A. Overall composition), DRAMA, EBOLA, ENDED, HALLE, HORSY, IRENE (58D. Dunne of “My Favorite Wife”), ISLAM, ISLEY, K CARS (102D. 1980s-’90s Chrysler offerings), LEASE, LINEN, MESAS, MR MOM, NOISE, OREOS, OXEYE, PARCH, PIANO, RINSO, SAABS, SAFER, SATYR (33D. Forest flutist), SHRED, SORES, SYNCS, TIERS, UNARM.

Short stuff — AIL, ASKS, ATE, BIZ, BOA, CAY, CPR (49D. Revivalism?), ELI and ELY, ERE, GMAC, GTE, HAM, HAUT, HEE and LEE, HORS de combat, IAN, ILLS, INEZ, ING, IPAD, INRE, IOUS (44A. Poor writer‘s scribblings?), “I VE had enough“, LSD, MARS, MCS, MESS, MME (65D. Title for de Staël), MOTH, NENE (93D. Bird than may nest on volcanic ash), NIA, NODS (70D. Moves a head?), NON, OAF, OTO, OWL, PIE, RDA, RICH, RHO, RICH, RIOT, ROT, SAL ammoniac, SGT, TAPE and TAPS and TASE, TMC, TREO, UH UH (72D. “Forget it!”), WES, WHIG, WRY, YEAH (47D. Triumphant cry).

————————

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.
Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Roast V.I.P.’s; 9. Military funeral concluder; 13. Cars with floor-mounted ignitions; 18. Density symbol, in physics; 19. By itself; 20. Kaaba visitor’s faith; 22. Say grudgingly; 26. Top-___ (golf ball brand); 27. “Dirt cake” ingredients; 28. Equine-related; 29. Gun it; 37. Kind of ceremony; 38. Show no modesty; 39. Marvin of “Cat Ballou”; 40. Friday’s rank: Abbr.; 43. Had; 45. Indo-Europeans; 52. Domino’s order; 53. Whirlybird; 54. Actress Peeples; 58. Big name in rum; 59. Round-trippers, in sports lingo; 64. Cambridge shire’s ___ Cathedral; 65. Viking’s destination; 66. Don Juan’s mother; 73. Drawers of war?; 76. Mesabi Range export; 77. Tee-___; 79. Remote place; 79. Food label no.; 84. From scratch; 87. Lover of light; 88. Distress; 89. Old inits. in telecommunication; 90. Vegas casino hotel, with “the”; 91. The Bahamas’ Great ____ Island; 104. Lease bright; 105. Eight-eight; 107. Dry out; 108. “The Hot Zone” topic; 114. Fountain drinks; 115. Berry of “Frankie and Alice”; 116. Histrionics; 117. Poetic preposition; 19. Daisy variety; 119. Ugly situation; 120. Matches time wise, informally; 121. Acid. — DOWN: 1. 1983 Michael Keaton comedy; 2. Single-named “Hollywood Squares” regular; 3. Results of chafing; 4. Place to get a facial; 5. Film Director Roth; 6. Tours turndown; 7. Having one sharp; 8. Manner; 9. Ziggurat features; 10. Interviews; 11. Finishes; 13. More guarded; 14. Onetime Freud collaborator; 16. Asphalt ingredient; 17. Open terrain; 21. Desert landforms; 24. Flummery; 30. It comes from the heart; 32. Comes to; 33. Forest flutist; 34. Palm phone; 36. Hit with a charge; 38. Flapper’s wrap; 40. Bookish type; 42. Answering machine insert; 44. 2010 Apple release; 46. Rolling in green; 50. Leave weaponless; 51. Bygone Tide rival; 53. French sweetie; 55. Industry, slangily; 56. Wardrobe items; 57. Fork; 60. Small Island; 61. Its closeted; 63. Put the kibosh on; 63. Film director Craven; Abbr.; 69. On the subject of; 71. Golden ___ (General Mills product); 73. Striking player; 74. Symbol of Athena; 75. Lincoln while in Congress, e.g.; 78. Babel; 80. Car financing inits.; 82. Ear: Prefix; 83. ___ monde; 85. Locomotive furnace; 94. Unable to agree; 95. Pack leaders; 97. R&B’s ___ Brothers; 98. Car dealer’s offering; 99. Farmland rolls; 100. Bungling fool; 101. Fishing accoutrement; 103. Iota; 106. Woes; 110. Mugger on stage; 111. Not straight; 112. Novelist McEwan; 113. Station for cinephiles.

No comments: